1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for decoration by sublimation of an ink over the whole surface of an object, whatever its shape.
2. History of the Related Art
Applicant's previous U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/674,422 filed Mar. 25, 1991 discloses a process for the transfer by sublimation of a drawing printed on a sheet of paper and a machine for carrying it out. Following various tests, it has been noticed that the decoration of objects of curved, spherical or ovoidal shapes brought about certain drawbacks when positioning the paper sheet. These drawbacks essentially reside in the fact that the paper sheet does not properly deform along its principal axes, this creating irregularities in the covering of the object by the paper sheet.
Such irregularities are due to the fact that the paper sheet creases or crumples when it is positioned in a vacuum around the object to be decorated. At the moment of sublimation, these creases are transferred onto the surface of the object, thus adversely effecting the quality of the drawing reproduced.
Such adverse effects include discontinuity of the decoration or offsetting portions of drawing with respect to one another.
In conclusion, the sheet of paper to be sublimated currently used in this process of decoration prevents objects of spherical, curved or ovoidal shapes to be treated satisfactorily.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to overcome this drawback.